build your own blow-in hopper
Anyone built a diy insulation blow-in machine? I’m thinking a shop vac on roids that runs backwards. Really I have no idea – just a shot in the dark. Crews are too busy to do my house (as in I need it now) so I’m going to bat the walls myself – I just can’t figure out how to get R44 in my attic (30/50′ trussed cold space 3/12 pitch) without batting it or?
Any ideas?
Replies
I've got the same situation
someday I'm going to rent the blow in insulating machine from Home depot
(it's free if I buy the insulation at home depot)
I have cut out the ceiling in a closet which is in the center of the house and I'm going to try to spray the entire attic from there.
good luck!
Your best bet is to rent a blower. A blower not only blows, it also has a chopper which fluffs the insulation. Cellulose comes in clumps and they have to be broken up as it is put in. And even if you could figure out a way to fluff it, there is no way a shop vac has enough snort to blow much insulation. You'd burn out a shop vac or two on that one.
I watched "Ask This Old House" a few weeks ago, and Tom Silva simply dumped cellulose out into an attic. He was only filling to the top of ceiling joists, so he didn't have to deal with a lot of it. You COULD do it to R 44, but by the time you were done, you'd wish you had driven 5 hours or whatever to rent a blower.
At the Lowes near me, they will loan the blower for 24 hours if you buy at least 20 bags ( at just under $10.00 per bag). And the person at Lowes suggested that if you don't need that many bags, you can always return the ones you don't need. They have two types of machines. The ones with the round plastic hoppers are for blowing attics while the one with the square metal hopper can also be used for blowing walls.
Thanks fellas, just got off the horn with Home depot and we're good to go.3 hr drive.
I hate cellulose, but I love the new OC Atticat insulation and machine at HD...put in 30" over the old R-25 in the spring...gotta be R-60 now.
Bales feed easy, never clogged, very low dust/fibre...not scratchy..
Enjoy ... Maurice
Its easy to do but feed the machine evenly and wear dust mask and overalls.
I actually had to take one of those machines apart before. It's a little more than a backwards vacuum.
As others have said, Lowes & Depot give the machine to you if you buy the insulation at their store.
It only takes two guys to do this, get the materials and a buddy and have at it.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.